Archive

My textile practice spans over forty years, going back to my degree at Goldsmiths College in the early 1980s. The tactile social history began with vignettes of my changing life, a juxtaposition of street scenes in Yorkshire and South London. 

Indeed, much of my work has an autobiographical element to it, as was the case in a body of work I made following the death of my mother. I made pincushions and used the house image depicted on quilts as a way to explore my sadness and sense of loss.

Historic textiles and folk art have been a constant inspiration for my work, with visits to local and international museums to glimpse and see into other worlds and lives lived.

A selection of blog posts

  • Connecting Threads – tactile social history – new publication Jan 25
    Lynn Setterington’s new book, Connecting Threads tactile social history brings together twelve of her textile projects produced between 1981 and 2024. These social history documents provide tactile evidence of untold stories, people and places through stitch and the work is both personal and political.
  • Update from 2022-23
    In 2022-2023, my work focused on how textiles connect, document, and empower communities. Alongside creating new pieces, I co-authored Crafting with a Purpose with Professor Fiona Hackney, exploring community workshops and well-being. I presented at conferences in Ghent and India, sharing research on mental health, construction, and ethical stitching practices.
  • Safety Net
    Dr. Lynn Setterington, a Manchester-based textile artist, launches Safety Net, a project raising mental health awareness in the construction industry. Featuring large-scale banners in Manchester and Salford, the installation, created with young people from 42 Street and Manchester School of Art students, highlights the sector’s mental health crisis, urging reflection and action.
  • PHD Study
    My PhD at UCA, supervised by Professor Lesley Millar and Simon Olding, explored collaborative stitch’s benefits and tensions. Focusing on “signature cloths”—hand-sewn autographs—it examined community dynamics through case studies at Robin Hood’s Bay Museum, the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah Archive, and Burnage Academy, highlighting stitch-based collaboration’s cross-disciplinary potential.
  • Unfolding Origins
    In collaboration with Chrysalis Arts and the North Yorkshire County Records Office, this project explored Selby’s old toll bridge. My research uncovered new insights and culminated in banners celebrating 30 years toll-free, created with local schools. Showcased at Selby Library and other venues, the project preserved untold stories through oral history.